Drive The Future

My auto insurance company is USAA. And USAA has a program (and smartphone app) called ‘SafePilot’ which collects driving data every time I drive. Some think this level of ‘surveillance’ is way too invasive. However, I have come to realize that being part of the SafePilot program does in fact make me a safer driver. First, SafePilot gives me an infraction for Harsh Braking. That makes sense, and I’ll explain in a moment now my Tesla helps me out in this regard.

Second, SafePilot really doesn’t like us to use our smartphones while driving. Phone Handing, Hand-Held Calling, and Hands-Free Calling all result in infractions. And when you get too many infractions, the auto insurance discount you would get with a perfect score is reduced.

So, SafePilot encourages good driving habits and potentially gives me a 15% discount on my auto insurance, but what role does my Tesla play in all this. Well, Teslas are designed to do almost all of their braking via regeneration. This means that when you release the ‘go’ (aka gas) pedal, a significant amount of braking occurs as power is put back into the battery via regeneration. In fact, the actual brake pedal is rarely used, if ever.

What’s cool about using SafePilot with a Tesla is that the regenerative braking process is so smooth and consistent that it never results in a Hard Braking infraction. The only time I would get an infraction is in case of an emergency when I actually need to use the brake pedal, which with good driving habits rarely happens. As shown below, I did get one infraction for hard braking a while ago due to an unavoidable incident. I still get the infraction even though I might not have been the cause for the emergency. However, if that only happens once every 1000 miles or so, I’m OK with that and still get the full discount when my insurance renews.

I also find that SafePilot can distinguish between me as the primary driver, and a passenger who happens to be using my phone for navigation and such. How it knows I have no idea, but is does. It also knows when I’m riding a bicycle versus driving a car. SafePilot is a well designed app and really helps reinforce good driving habits. And when used by a Tesla owner, should be easy to get the full insurance discount. I’m happy with SafePilot’s design and its ability to accurately monitor my driving. Is it keeping track of everywhere I go in my car? Absolutely! Is that a problem? Absolutely not! I’m a more cautious, more attentive driver as a result, and I’m saving some money on insurance as well. And these are all good things!

This IS another reason to own a Tesla. Let me explain…

When I was 15, I wanted to drive an old Vauxhall (that wasn’t mine) that was parked in our back yard. I simply filed down an old Ford key till it fit, charged the battery, and I was off to the races. In retrospect, I think a screw driver would have worked just as well. But I took the more challenging route, and succeeded!

Take the time machine forward 55 years or so and here we are in a place where every car is either push-button start, with a ‘fob‘ of some sort, or uses an actual ‘key’ – that metal thing you insert into the steering column and turn to start your car. And there’s a good chance your fob or key is ‘chipped’, meaning it has to be programmed to work with your specific car.

So here’s the problem. Lose one of those keys or fobs and you’re in for a rude awaking when your dealer quotes the replacement cost for just one #^$% key. My Mom lost a key to her 2017 Subaru Forester (which still uses a real key that’s chipped). The local Subaru dealer quoted $243 (plus tax, plus cutting, plus programming). I expect the final bill to be around $400 so. Also, all he needed to start the replacement process was the vehicle’s VIN. Now that’s convenient, but way too expensive for just one #^$% key. I have been researching other ways of getting a replacement key and I’m halfway through the process:

Step 1 – Buy a compatible key on eBay ($17)

Step 2 – Talk your friendly neighborhood locksmith into cutting the key ($15)

Step 3 – Try to program the key yourself (yeah, good luck with that). I’ll follow these instructions to the letter. Then, failing that, try to find someone other than my local dealer to program it for me. How hard can it be with the right equipment?? I’ll soon find out…

In my mind, this whole replacement key thing is a total profit center for the dealerships and I really don’t want to play their game! But hold the phone, there’s a solution!!!

The Solution

Buy a Tesla. Tesla Models 3 and Y use something called a ‘key card’ which has a short range radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip in it. Here’s a picture of what you get when you pick up your new Tesla:

Of course you can also load the Tesla app on your smartphone and use that as your key, or buy a ring with the RFID chip in to that takes all of 5 seconds to program, etc. BUT should you lose one or both of your key cards, Tesla will replace them for $40. Yup, that’s it! ONLY 40 bucks:

And that include two new keycards that are easily programmed by the owner once received.

So here’s my point. “This IS the way it should be!” There’s absolutely NO reason why replacing a lost car key should be so expensive or complicated. None! Tesla understands this and we, Tesla owners, benefit. And you can too…

Now call me paranoid (and cheap). I don’t really want to lose my Tesla key card, so I invested another $35 in a Tile ‘Slim’ that I taped to the back of my Tesla key card, so I can try to locate the card if it gets lost in a shirt pocket, or worse. The Slim fits the key card perfectly and you hardly know it’s there. Plus, you just click the app on your phone to find your Tile/key card. Perfect!

Then there’s also the very cool CNICK Tesla Key Ring. This is a little pricey, but these rings are good quality and work well as a back-up key solution. This is the key ring I purchased:

In the final analysis, I have spent a bit of money on my Tesla key solutions, but I didn’t have to. Regarding the Subaru replacement key saga, I’m already $32 into that adventure with programming still on the horizon. We’ll see how that turns out??

Anyone reading this headline who has been around EVs in general and Teslas in particular would think this is nonsense, and it might well be. But having just reviewed Ryan Shaw‘s latest YouTube video, I think I can make this claim, and here’s why…

In Ryan’s video “NEW Tesla Available NOW“, he talks about availability of the Model 3 ‘Performance’ at minute 5:50:

Ryan says “Tesla has finally released their newest car, the new Performance Model 3. While this will have ‘Ludicrous mode’, they haven’t called it the Ludicrous Model 3. Instead it’s simply ‘Performance’. The main specs are that it brings a 0 to 60 in 2.9 seconds, 510 horsepower and a 163 mph top speed. It’s also coming with a 296 mile range which is noticeably less than the 341 mile range of the Long Range trim Tesla… with this spec coming in a little over $5,000 more than Long Range, it’s the only Model 3 trim that qualifies for the $7,500 EV Tax Credit, so if you qualify you’ll be able to get the new Performance Model 3 for $45,490. That’s $2,250 less than the Long Range trim” (which doesn’t qualify for the tax credit currently)!

So, if you have been waiting for the ‘refreshed’ Model 3, AND the ‘Performance’ model pushes all the right buttons, then your car has arrived and is available to order now!

What are you waiting for? Order now! Or wait…

When it comes to buying a new Tesla, there’s always the thought that this might not be the best time to buy. Is it the end of the month, end of the quarter? Is there inventory in the pipeline Elon’s going to try to unload with discounts and incentives? Etc…

Well, I’m here to tell you that you just need to bite the bullet and lay your hard-earned money down on the best car you’ll ever own or drive. The new Performance Model 3 is perfection (which I’m willing to say without ever seeing or driving one). I own the ‘slow’ Model 3 RWD, and it’s total perfection. And the new Performance Model 3 is far better in every way. So in reality, with Tesla there is no better or worse time to buy. Buy when the time is right for you and you will be delighted with your purchase – guaranteed!

I bought my Tesla Model 3 RWD last summer and knew that software updates were a ‘thing’ with Tesla, but it wasn’t until the 2023 ‘Holiday Update’ (version 2023.44.30.2, soon to be updated to 2023.44.30.5.1) landed that I realized how significant these updates are relative to my driving experience. Most notable with that update were:

1) Custom Lock Sounds (replaces the horn sound with another sound of your choice – mine is the Windows 95 startup sound produced by Brian Eno)

2) Park Assist (Tesla Vision Park Assist displays a 3D representation of the world around your vehicle, including the proximity and shape of nearby objects, barriers, vehicles, and painted road markings), and

3) Automatic Blind Spot Camera (The blind spot camera view now alerts you with red shading along the edge when your turn signal is on and your vehicle detects an object or another vehicle in your blind spot)

Then in February 2024, the 2024.2.6 update was released with even more improvements. Here’s the short list for this update:

Then came April’s 2024.3.6 Release, accompanied by a 30-day free FSD (beta) trail for EVERY Tesla owner in the US (all 500,000 of us). Here’s this list of improvements provided in this update:

Besides the FSD (Beta) update which provided this feature to those interested in trying FSD out for 30 days, improved driving visualization and autopark are at the top of my list for cool features I’ll use every day. Mid-April saw an update to FSD (Supervised) v12, which “upgrades the city-streets driving stack to a single end-to-end neural network trained on millions of video clips, replacing over 300k lines of explicit C++ code.” As I’m writing this, FSD (Supervised) sits at v12.3.4, and last week Tesla reduced the monthly subscription cost for full-self driving from $199 per month to $99 per month. This is starting to make FSD look very interesting to the masses. Plus with an FSD subscription, you can cancel it when you’re not using it much, then start it up again for long road trips, etc. Or just subscribe! Compared to our cell phone and streaming service bills, this really isn’t a lot of money for the useful features FSD provides…

On the horizon is Tesla’s 2024.14 Release which includes these features (plus some others that we don’t yet know about):

There are a bunch of features here I’m excited about (visual updates, hands-free trunk, Spotify queue, better wiper controls, speed cameras, cabin overheat protection improvements, and improved trip progress, speedometer and regen indicators). Beach Buggy Racing? Not so much…

As a new Tesla owner, I didn’t think much about how important software updates would be to my ownership experience. But now that I have seen how significant these changes are to my safety and enjoyment of my Model 3, I believe this IS the way cars of the future should be. Many of us keep our cars for a long time, and if the car can continuously adapt to the driver(s) and to the world around us, then that’s the kind of car I want to own! And Tesla is doing that…

And on a side note, as I have now had the opportunity to drive with FSD (Supervised) for a while, what I said in the previous paragraph holds true. Two features of FSD that reinforce Tesla’s mission to make their cars the safest cars on the road include the following examples:

1. You pull up to a 4-way stop sign at the same time a car to your right stops. Which car is supposed to go first? The rule in Pennsylvania is that the car on the right goes first. Most drivers in PA don’t know that, but the car does. The car will indicate that it’s waiting for the driver on the right to go first, because that’s what the law says it should do.
2. There’s a cross-walk ahead. Many drivers, even if they see someone approaching the cross-walk will speed up because the person is not yet ready to cross. Not a Tesla in FSD mode. It will slow because it sees someone approaching the cross-walk, and will stop to allow them to cross, which again is what the law says it should do. This is the right behavior for a car using FSD, and SHOULD be the same behavior we all adopt to improve pedestrian safety!

But the on a slightly negative note, FSD is not yet very good at negotiating stop lights, in my experience. In PA, if you stop for a yellow light, you get rear-ended, because it’s common knowledge here that you speed up for yellow and stop for red. Also, in PA, if you enter the intersection on yellow, you can continue through after the light turns red. This is complicated for FSD and often gets it wrong. FSD is also know for running red lights. Bad FSD! But as we all know, the driver is ALWAYS responsible and is in control AT ALL TIMES. Right? So this is not such a big deal. Take control when you need to and everything will be just fine…

I was just reading this article from CNBC dated April 16, 2024 – “Tesla job cuts heighten Wall Street concerns that EV maker faces a demand problem“. Tesla announced job cuts on Monday. Tesla shares plunged almost 6%, continuing a year-to-date sell-off. Then EV demand questions that have been popping up… Sounds dire!

As an ‘investor’, I’d be concerned. As a Tesla owner, or prospective owner, I’m delighted. First, as an owner, I invested in Tesla in 2023 by buying a Model 3, and their cars are amazing. In my opinion, Tesla makes 2 ‘perfect’ cars for the segment of the car-buying public that is willing to take the EV plunge. The 2024 Model 3 (refresh) and the Model Y (best selling car of any type in the world in 2023). Safety, reliability, efficiency, cost of ownership, and just plain fun to drive are all criteria my Model 3 meets and exceeds. And the Model Y is more of the same, just roomier for young families or older individuals that find the sportier stance of the Model 3 to be less comfortable.

Then for the prospective EV buyer, Tesla offers amazing deals on cars ‘in inventory’ that make it hard to pass up. I bought my Model 3 from inventory which provided a substantial discount before the federal tax credit. If one were in the market for a Model Y, this is the kind of deal you could find today (link): $39,300 to $41,500 after tax credit – add $1000 for red paint…

I know, for many this sounds like a lot of money, and it is. But, after doing the math that factors in electric versus gas cost savings, and maintence and inspection cost savings, owning this Model 3 or Y for 5 years will break even with, or be less than, the cost of owning a Toyota Camry. A few people have put some effort into doing this comparison, in case you’re interested (some of these links are dated, but you could substitute Model Y for Model 3 today and come up with a similar comparison):

• Tesla’s Model 3 Now Cheaper than a Toyota Camry in California
• Tesla Model 3 Just Became Cheaper Than Toyota Camry
• TESLA MODEL 3 COST OF OWNERSHIP COMPARISON VS …
• Tesla Model 3 vs Toyota Camry: TRUE OWNERSHIP COST …
• TESLA MODEL 3 COST OF OWNERSHIP COMPARISON vs …
• TESLA MODEL 3 COST OF 5 YEAR OWNERSHIP IN THE …
• Tesla Model 3 Vs Toyota Camry: Long Term Cost Comparison …
• Tesla Model 3 VS Toyota Camry In California
• Tesla Model 3 Vs Toyota Camry: Ultimate Ownership Cost …

Well, that’s all for now. I got a bit off track, but my point is Tesla makes a great product and they’re postured well for the future. Sure, China is a becoming a major player on the EV scene, but as an American company with good leadership, I’m still betting on Tesla to lead the industry when it comes to producing EVs that people want to buy, perform well, and last as long or longer than the venerable Camry.

If you own a Tesla and have been reading the news, you might have seen headlines such as these:

• All Teslas in the US get a one month trial of FSD starting this week
• Tesla Will Let Buyers Try Its Pricey FSD System—For Free
• Tesla Stock Jumps as Musk Offers Free Driver-Assistance Trial
• Tesla offers U.S. customers a month’s trial of its driver-assist technology
• Tesla Owners Get Free Full Self-Driving for a Month To See How It Works
• Tesla to offer free one-month trial of FSD software to U.S. customers
• The real reason Tesla may be giving free trials of its Full Self-Driving software, etc.

So what was Elon thinking when he wrote “All US cars that are capable of Full Self-Driving (FSD) will be enabled for a one month trial this week” on X? For those not aware of what FSD is, this feature enables the vehicle to automatically change lanes, park on its own, enter and exit highways, and also recognize stop signs and traffic lights. All current Tesla models are delivered with the Autopilot driver-assist program. But Tesla owners can also buy the company’s FSD feature as an add-on either at a $12,000 flat rate or as a $199 monthly subscription.

I believe Elon’s primary motivation for offering this 1-month FSD trial to ALL Tesla owners in the US is simply to increase FSD subscriptions which in turn increases the company’s profit margins. A side benefit of bringing a lot more drivers online with FSD is to increase the speed at which the FSD system learns, becoming more reliable for all Tesla owners using FSD.

As of today (March 28, 2024), I have not yet received an invitation to participate in this trial. I don’t currently subscribe to the FSD program, but my 2023 Model 3 does qualify since it has all the hardware components necessary to support FSD. That said, when I do receive my invitation, I will be considered a FSD-newbie. I have never been in a Tesla with FSD enabled, though I am a frequent ‘auto-steer’ user, so I have that feature with which to compare full-self driving. Auto-steer has its idiosyncrasies, and I expect FSD will also. The question on my mind is ‘will I feel safe with FSD enabled?’ Time will tell, and I’ll be reporting my inital impressions here, probably in just a few days.

** Update **

IT’S OFFICIAL! It’s March 30, 2024 at 10am, and I just applied update 2024.3.6 (FSD Beta v12.3.2.1) to my 2023 Model 3 RWD. Immediately after the update completed, I received this email message:

Also, in the Tesla app on my phone there are these following release notes specific to this update:

And a couple photos from the car’s display:

Full Self-Driving (Beta) enabled.

I guess this means I’m set! Let the fun begin…

** Update **

First impressions!

The good: slows for speed bumps, gives dog walkers plenty of room, stays in the lane (most of the time), easy to override when necessary (though it always wants to know why I turned it off), frequent warnings to keep your hands on the steering wheel, which you should be doing anyway, stops reliably for stop signs and lights.

The bad: it doesn’t drive AT ALL like I would! Accelerates too quickly, brakes too forcefully, slows for pavement patches that are a different color than the asphalt around them (not sure what it thinks they are?), aims for potholes and hits them (not a good feature on PA roads), slow turns are a little jerky, and it got very confused at one point with lane markings that didn’t make sense. I’m not sure where it would have gone had I not intervened…

Basically, if someone was following me while in FSD mode, they would think I was a ‘student driver’. That said, there were some roads I tested FSD on where it worked perfectly fine. However, understanding its limitations a bit better, there are places on my drive where I would definitely have to take full control to safely navigate an intersection or road construction site.

I’ll have many other opportunities during the 30-day trial to learn to trust FSD more than I do at the moment. But at this point in time, I would not pay extra for the upgrade. Free autosteer is a wonderful feature and I use it often. And if FSD was free, I would use it in situations where it makes sense, which is most likely on freeways with light traffic and on long road trips to minimize driver fatigue. FSD has amazing potential when it comes to improving safety, however, when used on our local roads here in PA, I don’t think it’s improving my safety. If anything, it’s distracting since I’m always second guessing my car’s decision-making process and must be prepared to intervene, rather than just driving the car as I normally would. I’m a good driver and haven’t had an automobile accident in 50 years (knocking on wood, and my motorcycle ‘incidents’ don’t count). What I’m trying to say is “I want FSD to drive like I do.” Is that too much to ask?

I think it’s best that we start with the thing that’s causing Republican frustration over the Biden administration’s policies promoting electric vehicles, and that’s an April proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would set the strongest emission standards for new vehicles in the agency’s history, with the hope of slowing global climate change.

At a speaking event in Washington, EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced the new standards, which would take effect in 2027, saying the federal government isn’t requiring automakers to adopt electric vehicles but indicating that is one preferred path. With large investments and additional incentives in place, Regan said of the historically tough standards, “I believe we can (achieve that level of electric vehicle sales) and I believe that because we’re following the market trends.” “This is the future,” he said. (source)

Of course, oil companies are vehemently opposed to such a program and Republicans in Congress have complained in the past that Biden and the environmental community are trying to force the public to embrace more expensive electric vehicles against their will.

On the House floor December 2023, Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., says “the proposed rule is an electric vehicle mandate… not only does this EV mandate display breathtaking government overreach into the auto industry, but it’s also unaffordable, unattainable and unrealistic for American consumers.”

Turns out, the EPA’s proposal doesn’t specify how automakers should reach the new requirements, which tell them to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions across their fleets or pay penalties for breaking the rules. But regulators estimate automakers will use electric vehicles to do so — in part because the industry was already investing heavily in these vehicles. Given these investments, industry analysts expect a rapid rise from current EV sales numbers. Goldman Sachs estimated earlier this year that EV sales would make up around 50% of all new car sales by 2030 and 70% by 2035.

So, what’s the reality in the US?

Of course, car companies are going to continue building gas-powered cars in the years to come, as a majority of consumers remain skeptical of EVs and because bigger SUVs and trucks remain their major source of profits! That said, the development of new materials used in battery production, and the introduction of new battery designs and effective battery recycling operations continue at a rapid pace. Also, powertrain units and thermal management will become more efficient, reducing power consumption, and engineers continue to find ways to reduce the weight, while improving safety, of electric cars.

Consider these factors in addition to a number of EV manufacturers working hard on developing ‘affordable’ EVs and build-out of the EV charging infrastructure thanks in part to the Biden administration’s ‘National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure’ Program (NEVI), and I expect we’ll see a very significant up-tick in EV relative to ICE sales over the next decade.

All-electric IS the future. There’s much to be done to make this a reality as convenient and cost effective as it is today for ICE cars. Still, we MUST start moving in this direction. And I think (I know) the EPA’s blue-print is sound and putting up roadblocks to progress in this regard is short-sighted and counterproductive.

I know this is the question on every EV driver’s mind since the Angela Chao’s death in February 2024. Well, Ryan Felton accepted the challenge to answer the question in his March 13 Wall Street Journal article entitled “What to Do if Your Car Is Submerged in Water“. Catchy title!

For the moment, I’ll skim over the Tesla gearshift design ‘feature’ in her car which might have contributed to Angela’s car heading in the wrong direction in the first place. Regardless, Angela found herself in the pond, in her Tesla, and should you find yourself in a similar situation, here are things to think about…

How much time do I have to act?

About one minute to get out of the car before it fills with water. Enough time to execute your escape ‘plan’, if you have one. Hopefully you will (have a plan) by the time you’re finished reading this post!

What should I do?

Stay calm, unbuckle your seat belt and lower your window down. Exiting through the open window is preferred above anything else. If there are children in the car, get them out first.

What if I can’t open the window?

In this case, a window-breaking tool could be useful for drivers to have—as long as the windows are made of tempered glass. Knowing what kind of glass you have and how to break it is critical. These tools can also be used on the sunroof if one is available.

Note: ‘Laminated glass’, like that found on many Teslas, is nearly impossible to break underwater.

What about opening the door?

It is risky. If you can manage to open the door, water could then rush inside the vehicle, causing it to sink more quickly and leaving others inside more at risk. Still, the best way out the door is through the vehicle’s windows…

Does it make a difference if it is an EV or gas-powered car?

No, the occupant response should be the same for both types of vehicles. ICE and electric cars will sink in whatever direction the car is the heaviest. “The bottom line is it’s going to sink, water is going to come in through the vents, and until the water gets up to the windows, you can open the windows and get out,” Giesbrecht said.

What are the industry and regulators doing?

Not much. Don’t drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Know your car’s controls to avoid making mistakes that might result in you and your car ending up in such a situation. And if you do find yourself under water in your car, have a plan and respond quickly!

So what’s my plan!

My glass break tool will be handy, and knowing that my front side windows are laminated, I’ll break a rear side window which isn’t, and escape that way. All that after failing to immediately roll down the side windows…

As a white water kayaker (in my younger years), I would practive the ‘eskimo roll’ over and over again – literally. But guess what, when I actually needed to roll after getting knocked over in a rapid, did all this preparation and practice pay off? Nope! I would forget everything I learned and exit the kayak. I expect the same result when my car submerges. Panic!

Don’t be me. You can do better. Be safe!

I need to admit up front that I’m not the best person to talk about this. I own and Tesla and haven’t even been to a supercharger yet. That said, there are any number of articles and YouTube videos out there that discuss the issues a non-Tesla EV owners might experience when attempting to charge their EVs at a Level 2 superchargers provided by Electrify America, EVgo, EVCS and ChargePoint. Some complaints include:

• Unreliable Chargers: A common complaint is that chargers are frequently out of service due to malfunctions. This can be caused by broken screens, faulty payment systems, or issues delivering the advertised charging speed.
• Inconvenient App and Payment Systems: Many networks require app downloads and account creation for payment. These apps can be buggy and frustrating to use, while some stations lack alternative payment methods like credit cards.
• Inaccurate Information: Real-time data on app or station displays might not be accurate. This can lead to wasted time driving to a station that’s unavailable or has a slower charging speed than advertised.
• Short Charging Cables: Some stations have cables that are too short to reach all charging ports on certain EVs, creating an additional inconvenience.
• Limited Availability of High-Powered Chargers: While these networks are expanding, the number of high-powered charging stations (essential for long trips) is still lower compared to Tesla’s Supercharger network.

Here are some recent articles on the subject:

I Visited Over 120 EV Chargers: Three Reasons Why So Many Were Broken

• Problem 1: Out of Order 
• Problem 2: Payment Rejected
• Problem 3: Handshake Failed 

Electrify America Explains Cause Of Those Vexing EV Charging Problems

• The Cause: Components
• The Challenge: Surge In Demand

A reporter drove a Rivian to 126 EV fast-chargers in LA and found out-of-order signs on dozens of them

Problems noted:

• out-of-order signs
• dead screens
• error messages that said “charger unavailable” or “out of service
• power issues
• charging stations needing parts replaced
• payment rejection
• handshake failures between the charger and her vehicle

The Solution

This is what I think: unlike the Tesla supercharger network that was put in place to help promote and support the Tesla brand, non-Tesla superchargers have no such incentive. They are for profit businesses, often assisted by government subsidies to get started. But the incentive to provide a high-level of service, or to continually innovate as Tesla does with its charging network, appears to be lacking.

For long-term viability and address predicted EV growth, there needs to be a clear incentive to build out infrastructure in all parts of the country, and oversight that guarantees a high level of reliability and consistent levels of service across each supercharger vendor’s network. This is absolutely NOT happening today, and if I owned an EV other than a Tesla, AND I need to charge my EV using the nation’s supercharger network, I would be VERY discouraged and probably would decide that owning an EV was just not worth the hassle right now.

Well, I do own a Tesla. I know there’s an extensive charging network available to me today and growing, and it’s reliable. My choice was intentional, and was partially based on this fact. We, as a country, can do a lot better and must! Moving all EV manufaturers to the NACS (aka J3400) charging standard is a good first step. Adding a lot more superchargers to the network in places where they’re most needed (and hopefully near other services such as shopping and food) is next. Then treating the whole BEV ecosystem as an intentional program rather than a haphazard set of decisions made by commercial interests and government entities whose priorities change with each administration is essential.

Today, there’s a complete imbalance between government incentive programs, EV development investment, and EV charging infrastructure investment. These all need to be brought back into sync with reasonable targets set by green/sustainability initiatives. In the meantime, we’ll have large legacy manufacturers holding off large scale EV investment, startup EV companies going bankrupt due to high development costs and low market share, and then there’s Tesla…

Perhaps the biggest thing standing in the way of more substantial EV adoption is charging. Here are some of the primary concerns:

• Having a safe and secure location for home charging
• Cost of setting up a home charger
• Using proper charging practices for your car/battery type
• Understanding supercharging options when traveling
• Range anxiety and battery longevity
• Understanding things that impact range – temperature, speed, weight…

Let’s start with first question people ask when they arrive home with their brand new EV, and that’s “how am I going to charge this thing?” Most start with the least cost, most convenient option which is to plug their mobile charger into a 120v outlet (aka Level 1 charging). Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long to realize that a charging rate of 3 miles added to your range each hour doesn’t cut it when you don’t have a couple days to reach a full charge. So, you decide to invest in a Level 2 charger (240 volt, usually on a 40 or 50 amp circuit). And now your talking about a sizable investment of $1000 or more for hardware and installation.

The previous paragraph talks about charging hardware, but there’s another important consideration and that’s where to install the charger so your shiny new car can be charged securely (ideally in a locked garage where charging hardware can’t be tampered with). This, perhaps, is the most significant roadblock for many to-be EV owners. This is also the conundrum Tesla will encounter when they announce there ‘affordable’ EV (aka Model 2). The issue will be that many who purchase the affordable EV simply won’t have a safe place to charge. I don’t know that there’s a good solution, but this single factor will definitely slow adoption within this market segment.

The next thing that confuses many is how to properly charge their battery. Lithium batteries require some attention to proper charging practices if the EV owner expects to get good longevity from their battery. Typically, we charge our cell phones over night to 100%, as we do our laptops. This is not a good practice for cell phones, laptops, e-bikes, or EVs. Better is to let your batteries live most of their lives between 30 and 80% state of charge (SoC). This is where the battery is most stable and living in this zone significantly increases battery longevity. It also means the EV owner needs to think about their real daily range requirements and charge primarily to meet that need versus keeping the battery fully charged ‘just in case’.

Also, when supercharging, stopping the charger around 80% will save a bunch of time since the charge rate slows significantly above 80%. To illustrate this charge rate issue, assume your battery takes about 25 minutes to charge from 20 to 80% SoC. Continuing to charge 80 to 100% (another 20%) will likely take another 25 minutes. It’s better to stop at 80% and get back on the road (freeing up a charger for another EV driver), and just plan to stop and charge again a little sooner than you would if you had charged to 100%. That said, if your next charger is farther away than an 80% charge will support, then by all means, charge to 100%, though you shouldn’t have to do this very often.

As a side note, there is a new battery technology on the market now using the LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry. Some EV manufacturers recommend charging these batteries to 100% (at least once per week). Some believe this battery should be charged to 100% every charge, and even when supercharging. Please, don’t! At superchargers, charge to 80% when appropriate like everyone else. Then when you’re home charging, let the battery ‘rest’ in the 30 to 80% range like every other lithium battery, with the understanding that you should then plan to charge the LFP battery to 100% once per week, and preferably drive soon after your 100% charge. Even LFP batteries should not ‘rest’ for long periods at 100% charge.

Another issue has to do with range anxiety and things that impact range. First, range anxiety. And in this regard, pay attention to your car’s state of charge, and not miles remaining. On many EVs, the displayed miles remaining are an EPA calculation and are not accurate. Better is to view current state of charge, and know what your charging options are within your remaining range (plus a reasonable buffer). With respect to Tesla, with which I’m most familiar, all charging options are displayed within the mapping display, and when a charging location is selected, the car will precondition its battery to optimize charging when the car arrives a the charging location.

Also be aware that outside temperature, driving speed, and additional weight in your car are all going to impact range, as will choice of tires, roof racks, wind direction and speed, elevation changes, aggressive driving, etc. Interestingly, your car should take all these factors into consideration when calculating your expected range relative to a supercharger. Tesla does a really good job in this regard, though you have some level of control over your car’s range by controlling many of these factors yourself, with the most important ones being speed and driving style.

One final comment before leaving the topic of charging, and that’s to ‘mind your ABCs’. This is about always plugging your EV in (Always Be Charging) when you’re not using it. If I am running multiple trips in a single day, I’ll not plug in between trips. But when I arrive home after the last trip, on the charger it goes. And it’ll go on the charger even if the current state of charge is greater than my usual charge limit which is set to 65% during the week. Each Saturday night I’ll charge my LFP battery to 100% (because that’s what Tesla’s LFP battery requires, “at least once per week”), but otherwise the charge limit is set to 65%. So again, plug in when you get home. Let the battery charge to your set charge limit. Then while still on home power, you’ll be avoiding power drain while being parked, and you’ll be able to precondition before your next drive, all without sacrificing SoC or incurring additional charging cycles. This is a very good thing!

It’s SO easy to set up, and you’ll be able to try out Tesla’s new models. Here’s the website you’ll use to sign up: https://www.tesla.com/drive. A couple days ago my 99-year-old Mom and I checked out the Model Y at the new Tesla Service Center in Warminster, PA. This is the first time I have been in a Model Y and Mother, who likes anything on 4 wheels, thought the car was great. She has trouble getting in and out of most cars – seat too low, seat too high, no grab bar above the door to hoist herself in (her 2017 Subaru Forester is perfect in this regard), etc. The Model Y seats were a bit too high (I didn’t think to lower them for her), and there’s no grab handle. Anyway, she’s not in the market for a new car so no harm no foul. This test drive was mostly for me, and to give Mom some enjoyment driving a Tesla.

Then today, my sister and I checked out the refreshed Model 3 (Long Range). She drove my 2023 Model 3 to the Service Center so she could experience a Model 3 with stalks, then during the test drive compare the driving experience in a car with no stalks. Turns out, she thought the new controls were intuitive and didn’t miss the stalks, and she liked ‘no stalks’ better. This was a surprise to me, but I expect Tesla drivers moving from stalks to no stalks will adjust quickly and find the no-stalk driving experience to be one more step forward to simplifying the Tesla user interface experience.

Other impressions I came away with during this test drive include better suspension, quieter cabin, updated interior and audio system, more comfortable seats (also ventilated), better cameras, relocated Tesla key card sensor, and I do like the little screen at the back of the arm rest. The refreshed Model 3 still needs organizers in the center console, and the usual mods (mud guards, floor mats, brake and go-pedal covers, screen protector and swivel, etc.).

The other thing about the Tesla demo drive experience is the no-pressure staff. If needed, some young person (they’re all young it seems) will come out and provide basic instruction prior to departure. However, if you’re a seasoned Tesla owner, you get a key card in exchange for an image of your driver’s license and you’re off for your 30 minutes of pure bliss in a Tesla of your choice. Then when you come back, you’ll probably be asked if you’re ready to purchase a Tesla and you say “No, not right now”, and they say “Well I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Thank you for considering Tesla.” Nice!

This is so different than test driving a car at a non-Tesla dealership, or interacting with a sales associate at any dealership that isn’t Tesla. Tesla knows you’ll consider other options and that you’ll be back because, admit it, Tesla is BEST! So, they have nothing to lose by not pressuring you to make a decision then and there. That said, I heard an interesting comment about EV ads played during the Super Bowl. Tesla, as you know, doesn’t really advertise. But other companies spend $7 million dollars for their 30 seconds of air-time and what Tesla found was that their sales increased significantly. Once people went to the showroom to look at the EV model in the ad, they quickly decided that if they were going to go electric, Tesla really is the only sensible choice. Tesla is great value for the money, and as Tesla continues to improve their cars like they have with the Model 3 refresh (Highland) and will soon with the Model Y refresh (Juniper), the already great products just keep getting better.

If you don’t believe me, then you’re just a demo drive away from finding out for yourself. And if you think about it, please use my referral code and you and I will both benefit. Here it is: https://ts.la/glen27381, and thank you!

Parting shot (my sister after driving the 2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range):

And another demo drive with a friend in a Model X. What a car!

And the ‘car’ in the showroom they wouldn’t let us drive (insert sad-face emoticon here):

Notice they’re charging this beast on a wall outlet (probably 15 amp). I guess since nobody’s driving it, the 4.5 days it’ll take to charge it this way is a non-issue…

The Hummer EV comes in two main configurations, an SUV or an SUT (truck bed), then there are a couple battery pack options, the standard 20-module pack with an EPA range of 311 miles (EV^2X) and 381 miles for the 24-moduleEV^3X. And you must admit, this ‘car’ just looks really cool!

But if you’re considering buying a Hummer EV, there are two links you’ll want to check out. The first one was written a year ago by Emme Hall for The Verge entitled ‘GMC Hummer EV review: bummer EV‘. Emme’s article opens with “If you want an EV that makes sense, you should not buy the GMC Hummer EV. If you want an EV that’s affordable, you should not buy the GMC Hummer EV. If you want an EV that’s efficient or luxurious, you should not buy the GMC Hummer EV.  Is there any reason to spend $110,000 on this ghastly behemoth? I spent a week trying to figure it out, and frankly, I’m still left wondering.”

And the second stop should be “This is NOT Lean Design: Hummer EV Battery Pack Breakdown” on the Munro Live YouTube channel. The battery in the Hummer is massive and you should really know the ins and outs of this part of the Hummer’s tech. The Hummer is not an efficient vehicle (relative to other EVs on the market), and this video explains why. That said, is efficiency really the first thing on a Hummer buyer’s mind? Not…

OK, so why am I really writing this piece? It’s not to beat up on the Hummer. It’s to explain my choice versus other ‘extremes’ on the market. I will not spend $110k on a car. Maybe a house, but not a car. And efficiency and sustainability are important. The Hummer represents neither, but my choice of EV comes a lot closer, though not perfect. And one more thing, I’m into simplicity. Here’s a picture of the Hummer’s dash:

And the 2024 Tesla Model 3’s dash:

The perfect car needs to be designed to minimize distractions, maximize the intuitiveness and simplicity of interaction with all controls while driving, AND above all else, protect its occupants in the event of a crash. The Tesla does all these things extremely well!

Uh, no. No car is perfect! Let me outline specific things about my car that leave room for improvement.

1. The frunk latch – when closing the frunk/hood you need to apply a fair amount of force in just the right location to avoid denting the hood. With most cars, you simply let the hood drop from a certain height and it latches in with a nice ‘thunk’. Not so with the Model 3. Push down with hands placed strategically to the left and right of the Tesla emblem and it might latch on the first, second or third push. This is annoying, but it is what it is.
2. I’m 6’2″ so my driver’s seat is fairly far back in the track. With my driver seat in the proper position, the back of my seat crunches the headrest of the rear seat when it’s lowered to make room for large items. This could have been remedied with a removable headrest for the rear seats. But as it is, I just need to be a little uncomfortable when that back seat is folded down. I’m OK with that, but think this could/should have been resolved in the initial design.
3. Floor mats, mud flats, swivel mount for the center screen, center console organizers, potential water intrusion into the ventilation system – these are all items that have been resolved with 3rd-party accessories for minimal cost.

When comparing this car with all my previous cars, this list is nothing. Tesla builds a great car that just works really well, and most people could drive it off the lot then for another 5 years without doing anything to the car – just drive and enjoy. I’m not that person. I need to file the rough edges until it’s perfect for me, and realistically the frunk and rear seat things are just Tesla idiosyncrasies, and I can live with that. My Prius had its share of annoying traits I learned to live with as well, yet I still view my 2017 Prius Prime as an ‘almost’ perfect car (for me). Turns out, with the Prius Prime redesign for 2024, the Prime is now even more perfect! Check it out: https://www.toyota.com/priusprime/

PS – There is one major defect with the Tesla Model 3 (and the Model Y as well) and that’s the vulnerability of this poorly protected, plastic coolant connector:

Run over some road debris and you’ll get a repair quote from Tesla in the neighborhood of $18,000+ to replace your battery because Tesla has no repair procedure to simply replace the connector. Here’s a link to Reddit for more information if you’re interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/17kwoai/coolant_line_damage_new_battery/

Today, I’m having a pair of aluminum aftermarket skid plates installed on my Model 3 to help prevent this sort of damage from occurring in the future (video). I recommend you consider doing the same since it might just save your bacon (and a lot of money) some day.

I’m going to begin this post by talking briefly about yesterday’s breakfast with other Tesla Owners Club members. This was a first for me since joining the TOCPA and the experience was different than I expected. I thought our discussion would just be about our cars, the company, and maybe even about Elon. What I found was that these are regular people at different stages in life and careers, with varied interests and experiences. And our conversations were about life, and hobbies, and cars (not just EVs), potential club events, and a little bit about Tesla.

At this particular breakfast, a Model 3 (Highland) refresh car was made available to check out and drive if anyone wanted (no takers for a testdrive). Also available were club member cars of every model (S, 3, X and Y). This is where much of the attention went to talk about accessories, things stored in the frunk and trunk, wheels and winter tire choices, etc. All in all, I learned some things, had a great time, and feel this sort of activity is important for Tesla owners to maintain a connection with eachother. Tesla clubs provide an important function within the Tesla owner community, and these meet-ups build personal connections that are the foundation of these clubs.

OK, so what do all EV owners share in common:

1. A new driving experience (which is unique for each EV model – a 2023 Model 3 in my case)
2. A smile each time you pass a gas station and see that the price of gas has just increased
3. Range ‘anxiety’, or at least a constant awareness of available range and charging options
4. Torque (and no gears) – these cars are quick and power delivery is very smooth and quiet
5. An appreciation of an EV car’s simplicity (battery, electric motor, computer – that’s it)
6. And a need to constantly justify your decision to buy an EV with family and friends.

EVs are new and different, and people are curious why you would do such a crazy thing like give up your tried and true gas engine for a car that has all kinds of problems (like what do you do when your car runs out of charge, can you use it when it’s cold outside, why would you spend so much more for a car without an engine, aren’t you afraid it’s going to catch fire and burn your house down, etc.?). If you have been keeping up with the news, all these concerns keep coming up because it captures our attention and sells more ads than something like “EVs are great, buy one and see for yourself”.

How great, you might ask? Just really great! My 2023 Tesla Model 3 is simple, quiet, reliable, fun to drive, powerful (when needed), includes features that make me a safer driver and keep me safe, and it’s VERY efficient!

Let’s climb in and actually drive one. The first thing you’ll notice is it’s not exactly like the car you first learned to drive in. And in many EVs, the controls you need aren’t necessarily in the same place they were in your previous automobile. My car has stalks that do things like activate windshield wipers and turn signals, shift between park and drive, and control headlights. I like my stalks, but does Elon care? Apparently not! Because on the refreshed Model 3 now shipping, he got rid of them. These controls are now buttons on the steering wheel or on the touch screen. And even though stalks are so ’20th century’, I like them and it will take me a few moments of relearning to get used to the new, relocated controls. Effective use of important controls like windshield wipers, lights, shifting, and even temperature and audio controls must be intuitive and become muscle memory so they don’t distract or overly complicate things in emergency situations.

An interesting note, when I switch between my Tesla and Subaru, I still find myself activating the windshield wipers when I think I’m putting the Subaru into drive. This is a fairly harmless (albeit embarrassing) mistake, but it’s a good example of how we build muscle memory and do certain things without really thinking about them. And so long as this sort of mistake isn’t dangerous, I guess it’s not so bad. For years, automobiles in the US put controls in familiar places (mostly), but with EVs it seems like we’re starting over and everybody’s doing things slightly differently. It’s like when infotainment systems began showing up in cars. Everybody designed their systems differently, and in reality every infotainment system was overly complicated and frustrating for mere mortals to use. Which brings me to my next point…

When I bought my Model 3 last year, I thought the large touch screen would be distracting and complicated to use. It turns out, it is neither (though it took Tesla a while to get here). There have been many software and display refinements over the years with Tesla automobiles, and I can honestly say that once you have entered the settings that make the car operate like you want it to, the Telsa display is the most intuitive and non-distracting interface I have seen in any car. Agreed, there are a bunch of features you might want to play with when you’re not driving, but the non-distracted driving experience in a Tesla is exceptional. Let me explain…

1. Single pedal driving – for almost ALL your driving, you’ll never have to touch the brake pedal
2. Voice commands – just about everything you need to adjust while driving can be controlled with your voice
3. Situational awareness – the left side of display shows vehicles and other obstacles around you, and when turn signals are activated you have a blind spot camera (and warnings) to assist. There is also now a 360-degree view of your surroundings when backing or parking, which is very helpful and accurate.
4. Speed sign, stop sign, construction cone, and traffic light detection are there mostly for full self driving, though speed sign detection helps regulate TACC speeds when enabled
5. Lane keeping (using lane marking detection), assisted cruise control (TACC) and autosteer features improve driver safety when used properly
6. Maps and navigation aids – Tesla used Google maps which I think is the best navigation aid for cars. including real-time traffic monitoring and accurate supercharger routing.
7. Automatic headlights and windshield wipers, and more…

Everything about the car is designed to help you do what you do best, and that’s to ‘drive the car’. You’re in control and when you allow the car to help you do that job better, the Tesla can be a fairly safe place to be in this crazy, distracted world we drive in. Get to know your car early on, get your settings right (this might require the assistance of a grandchild just like when you bought your last smartphone or PC), and let your car help you. Know your controls, practice voice commands, know how the car is going to behave in certain situations (and how to override the car’s decision when necessary), and don’t be overwhelmed. Give it some time and you’ll see just how simple driving an EV (especially a Tesla) can be.

Scotty Kilmer has over 6 million subscribers and on February 2nd, 2024 he released this YouTube video: ‘Proof Electric Cars are a Scam and the Media is Lying to You‘. And before I say anything more, I like almost everything Scotty posts on YouTube. He really knows his stuff. BUT, in this case I think he’s echoing every click-bait headline about what’s wrong with EVs you can find on the web. In summary:

• “the United States energy department has been caught massively cheating to boost electric vehicle efficiency data and the corporate media is ignoring this” – and he uses absurdly high compliance values as an example – OK, I think he has a good point here, but that’s not going to stop me from buying an EV. Next
•  “if you’re like me you want to know what happened to those stranded motorists in Chicago why did all those Teslas get stuck frozen and they couldn’t charge them – and the Tesla Owners Club in suburban Chicago said they checked out 13 of these Tesla superchargers and three of them were completely out of order.”, Next
• “a lot of people use the Sentry Mode which is anti-theft thing so you can look at cameras you can be checked to see if anybody’s stealing a car and under Sentry Mode the car sap as much as 15% of your battery pack capacity in 24 hours so let’s say you park at an airport you got it there for a week or two you come back and your Tesla’s dead” – yup, that’s a thing, unfortunately. We talk about this in our Tesla new owners classes, so hopefully Tesla owners are informed and don’t use Sentry Mode in these situations. Next
• “this guy took a Tesla cyber truck on a cross country trip he went from Austin Texas to the Joshua Tree monument in California and back right he went 1340 miles and he had to stop 12 times to charge. That’s not very far range…” You can check out Dennis Wang’s (aka DennisCW) video here. Another good point, and I encourage you to watch Dennis’ video BEFORE you run out and buy a Cybertruck!” Next
• “people that don’t know anything about electric cars is they always give you some ridiculous charging time to charge them but that’s always from 20% to 80% so right there you’ve lost 40% range of the vehicle cuz you’re not going below 20% so that’s 20% you lost and you’re only charging it to 80% because past that it takes way too long to charge them so that’s another 20 so you’re only working with 60% to begin with… it would be like owning a gasoline car that had a 20 gallon tank but you could only use 12 gallons of the fuel and the was just sitting there unusable” Good point Scotty! And he goes on…

As usual Scotty makes some good points, and his comments are always well researched. However, this video was a bit click-baitish, and dug up a bunch of recent negative press which to many EV owners are more or less self-evident, but to prospective EV owners might give them second thoughts. That’s the real danger of this kind of media regurgitation. Nevertheless, Scotty provides a great service to the automotive community and I appreciate that! Thanks Scotty for all you do.

Hybrid vehicles ‘ARE SO 2023’. Yeah, EVs and PHEVs are all the rage for advertisers, but hybrids are what people are actually buying. CNBC reports (source):

“Sales of traditional hybrid electric vehicles, or HEVs, such as the Toyota Prius, are outpacing those of all-electric vehicles in 2023, according to Edmunds. HEVs accounted for 8.3% of U.S. car sales, about 1.2 million vehicles sold, through November of this year. That share is up 2.8 percentage points compared with total sales last year.

EVs made up 6.9% of sales heading into December, or roughly 976,560 units, up 1.7 percentage points compared with total sales last year. Sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, accounted for only 1% of U.S. sales through November.“

Hybrids, though a little pricier than their non-hybrid ICE counterparts, are all what people want these days. They’re brain dead simple to operate. The fueling infrastructer is built out and reliable. Hybrid batteries have become reliable and have long warranties. There’s little to worry about, think about, and you’ll get pretty good fuel economy to boot. This seems to be what the new car buying public wants – even if your new ‘hybrid’ car still only gets 20 mpg.

Another upside to hybrid technology is that a hybrid battery requires a lot fewer battery cells than does a full electric car. For those concerned about the source of materials used to manufacture battery cells used in electric cars, this is important. From an article entitled ‘Battery Taxonomy: The Differences between Hybrid and EV Batteries‘, this chart gives some indication of the difference in cell count, energy capacity and density among select hybrid, PHEV and BEV models from Ford:

One final note about hybrid vehicles is that the notion of ‘range anxiety’ doesn’t exist. Fill your tank, drive until it gets to a quarter tank and fill. No worries about percent charge, where’s the next charging station, will the charger work when I get there, charging only to 80% to keep my battery happy, etc. What most people want is to not have to think about their car. Turn the key (or press the button) and go. I have never been one of those people. I used to listen to ever little sound and think about what might be causing it, and should I worry. Now that I own an EV, there is no sound. That takes some getting used to, but I completely trust my car, and that’s a good thing!

My wonderful, amazing 2017 Prius Prime Advanced was a PHEV, and perhaps the best PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) on the market at the time. As the acronym suggests, this car has a gasoline motor with a hybrid mode, as well as a battery that can propel the car some number of miles (32 miles for this generation car) without any engine assist at all. Most of the time, you’ll be using only the battery to get you around, then for longer trips, the gas motor will take you the extra distance. Sounds pretty ideal, like the best of both worlds. Or is it really the worst of both worlds? That is the question. and before reading any further, I suggest you sit back and view this video from our friends at Consumer Reports:

Plug-In Hybrids Are Not What You Think They Are | Talking Cars with Consumer Reports #429

To summarize, I pulled a quote from the video at 7:28-8:14. Here’s the transcript for this section:

“I think there are some interesting situations from a systems approach that come up when you’re thinking about this because if you are that person who’s commuting the 40 miles, and you’re pretty much always using the EV portion that you paid for, you’re effectively carrying around an ICE powertrain that doesn’t really get used. And vice versa. If you never charge it and you’re always running as a hybrid, you’re carrying around this giant battery that you never use. So there’s some negatives with that.

And just the complexity of having a gas powertrain on board that operates sometimes. So now, in the middle of winter, the engine fires up randomly. And it’s stone cold, but you need the extra power to accelerate. How do you handle that? And the gas tanks are pressurized because the fuel might sit in there for months. So there’s all these little things that go into making this work. And it gets complicated.“

To reiterate, it is complicated! Not only do you have ALL the complexity of an ICE/hybrid car AND a full electric car, but there’s a lot of hardware and software needed to make sure all the powertrains play nicely together (e.g. Hybrid Synergy Drive). Toyota was able to pull it off with the Prius and RAV4 PHEVs and have created exceptionally reliable and efficient automobiles, but other auto makers have more work to do. Referring back to the Consumer Report video (above) you’ll get a sense for who has gotten the formula right and who has not. Below is a list companies selling PHEVs in the US as of March 2023, and as mentioned when I was writing about EVs, do your homework if you’re considering a PHEV. All PHEVs are NOT created equal.

March 3, 2023 there are 33 plug-in electric hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) available in the US. Eight automakers offer two or more PHEVs (source):

• Volvo (5)
• BMW (4) — BMW (3), Mini (1)
• Toyota (3) — Toyota (2), Lexus (1)
• Stellantis (3) — Jeep (2), Chrysler (1)
• Ford (3) — Ford (2), Lincoln (1)
• Kia (3)
• Hyundai (2)
• Land Rover (2)
• Porsche (2) 

The Jeep Wrangler 4xe has been the number one-selling PHEV in America since Q2 2021.

In conclusion, those considering owning a PHEV will need to reconcile the pros and cons. Here are my thoughts:

PROS

• Efficient hybrid powertrain (not all PHEVs are efficient – do your research)
• EV mode is more cost effective than gas in most places (be sure to check EV range)

CONS

• Your PHEV will need access to power for charging
• PHEVs are complex and may require more interaction with settings to drive properly
• You now have to maintain your PHEV as you would any ICE car, AND properly maintain your battery as though it’s an EV
• Cost of repairs will be higher than ICE alone due to system complexity

Hopefully I haven’t scared you off from PHEV ownership. My Prius Prime (may she rest in peace) was one of the best, most efficient cars I have ever owned. And before purchasing the Tesla, I was seriously considering upgrading to the new Prius Prime which is an even more spectacular car. Truth be told, the Toyota Prius Prime or RAV4 Prime are the only PHEVs I would consider buying today. Many other PHEVs are good, but I have always trusted Toyota quality and tend to look there first when considering something as complex as a PHEV.

And a parting quote: “Owning a PHEV is like owning an EV with training wheels.” I made that up, but I believe it’s true. I don’t think I would have had the courage to go full EV with the Tesla if I hadn’t owned a PHEV first. It gave me the confidence that I could live with EV range, plus EV care and feeding. In reality, getting rid of the ICE part of a PHEV removed a huge burden. No gas, no maintenance, and a whole lot less complexity. That’s what EV ownership is about – ‘less is more‘ (thank you Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, or was it Peter Behrens that said it first?)…

OK, so I’m sold on Tesla, the car and the company, not so much the man (Elon, not Nikola). That said, there are other fish in the sea to consider. Here’s a shortlist:

• Rivian – R1T truck and R1S SUV
• Volkswagen – ID.4
• Kia – EV6 and Niro
• Hyundai – Kona and Ioniq 5 and 6
• Tesla – Models S, 3, X, Y, and Cybertruck
• Chevrolet – Bolt EV
• Ford – Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning truck
• Volvo – EX90, EX30, XC40 Recharge, and C40 Recharge
• Porsche – Taycan

and many others: Lucid Air, Fisker Ocean, Mecedes-Benz EQS and EQB, GMC Hummer EV, BMW iX, i4 and i7, Cadillac Lyriq, Nissan Ariya and Leaf, Genesis G80 and GV60, Polestar 2, Audi Q4 E-Tron, Toyota BZ4X, Jaguar iPace, Subaru Solterra, Vinfast VF 8, Lordstown Endurance, Mini Cooper SE, Mazda MX-30, etc.

But if you’re considering buying an EV and want to know which models are selling well, Electrek is a good place to start. Based on 2023 sales, I would start at the top of the list and work my way down:

A word of caution for prospective EV owners, do your research. Making a decision solely based on a Super Bowl ad is not wise. Talking to other EV owners and doing some good old fashioned internet research is necessary. For example:

• Chevy Bolt – ‘Chevrolet Recalls Over 50,000 Vehicles Due to Fire Risk‘
• Ford Mach-E – ‘Some Ford Mustang Mach-Es Are Bricking Despite Full Charge‘
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 – ‘Yikes! The $60,000 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Battery Replacement Saga Continues‘
• Volkswagon ID.4 – ‘Volkswagen has given a name to its pain, and it is ‘software’
• Vinfast VF 8m – ‘Critics Agree: The VinFast VF8 Is Very, Very Bad‘
• Toyota BZ4X – ‘Toyota finally found a way to keep wheels from falling off its electric SUV‘
• GMC Hummer EV – GMC Hummer EV Battery Teardown Proves Our Fears
• Fisker Ocean – This is the Worst Car I’ve Ever Reviewed, by Auto Focus
• Tesla – ‘Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in US to fix system that monitors drivers using Autopilot‘

Etc. etc. The bottom line is ‘be informed’! Every EV manufacturer takes a different approach when designing their vehicles. Understanding this, and the potential issues this creates is important. Also, as EV technology evolves, so will safety, reliability, and sustainability. As an early adopter, high purchase prices, low resale value, and some level of inconvenience is to be expected. This is what you’re signing up for. I, for one, think it’s worth it and encourage EV ownership when and where it makes sense.

** update **

If you watch/listen to Ryan Shaw, which I recommend, you’ll learn that every auto manufacturer is climbing on the EV train and will be delivering cars worth your consideration (assuming you’re in the market for an EV) in the next year or so. Here Ryan’s latest YouTube video on the subject, which covers the bases really well:

Tesla’s 2024 Competition Is HERE | Best NEW EVs For 2024 (and beyond)

I’m in the process of creating presentations for Tesla owners and for those interested in EV technology in general. Both are works in progress, however, below are links to several presentations I created recently which might be of interest:

• Tesla mobile apps
• Tesla accessories
• What’s in your frunk and trunk?
• How to charge your Tesla’s LFP battery – best practices
• Tesla influencers
• Lightshow – how to summary from teslalightshows.store
• Holiday update 2023.44.30+
• Tesla car wash advice
• Caring for your Tesla in the winter – best practices
• Software Update 2024.2.6 overview (source)
• EVs – Part 2 – a presentation developed for the Del Val’s CLR program
• Update 2024.3.6 (required for the FSD Version 12.3.1 One-Month Trial)

And if you’re a Tesla owner and haven’t yet joined your local Tesla Owners’ Club (in my area, TOCPA or DVTOC), consider doing so. As a member, you’ll have access to many useful resources, as well as a connection to other Tesla owners in your area. This is especially important for new Tesla owners since there’s much to learn about your car, and about operating an EV within a transportation system designed primarily for ICE vehicles.

It might already be apparent that I’m a fan of Tesla automobiles. And my wife has started to catch on that this (EVs in general and Tesla specifically) is becoming more like an obsession, so she got this for me for Christmas:

Available here: Tesla – Things I Do in My Spare Time – Light Coffee Mug

Yup, she nailed it! And if you feel the same way, consider joining our Tesla Owners Club. We can obsess about Teslas (and EVs) together. Hope to see you around…